Could the Phoenix Suns end up trading one of their Big 3 of Kevin Durant, Bradley Beal or Devin Booker after being swept in the first round by the Minnesota Timberwolves?
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Some have called for them to, as the experiment did not work out in Year 1 without a single playoff win to show.
Per Spotrac, Durant will be making $51.2 million next season with an additional year on his contract after that, Beal will be earning $50.2 million on the third year of a five-year deal and Booker is set to make an estimated $49.4 million on the second season of a four-year extension. Additionally, Jusuf Nurkić is locked up for two more seasons after this one and will earn $18.1 million next year. Grayson Allen will be on the first season of a four-year, $70 million extension signed three weeks ago.
Beal’s no-trade clause carried over from when the Suns acquired him from the Washington Wizards, so he has the power to veto any trade.
Outside the starting lineup, Nassir Little is set to make $6.75 million on the second year of his four-year rookie extension next season. David Roddy is due $2.9 million on the third of a four-year rookie deal (not much more than a veteran minimum contract).
The Suns have Royce O’Neale’s bird rights if they want to sign him to a contact extension, while Eric Gordon, Josh Okogie, Drew Eubanks and Damion Lee also all have player options to extend their veteran minimum deals to next season.
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A Western Conference scout first detailed what the Suns are missing.
“They are poorly constructed,” he said per Bucher. “Where is their bench? Where is their rim-protecting, shot-blocking big as a starter or off the bench? Where is a decision-making point guard as a starter or off the bench? Where is their 6’7″ defensive wing? Where is a power forward who plays with size and physicality, since KD doesn’t want to play the 4? Where is their size? They are too small. All of that is essential to a winning franchise with championship aspirations.”
An Eastern Conference executive first talked about Kevin Durant in terms of trades.
“KD probably gets you the Jrue Holiday Package,” an Eastern Conference executive, referring to the first-round pick and two quality role players — point guard Malcolm Brogdon and forward Robert Williams — the Portland Trail Blazers received when they sent Holiday to the Boston Celtics. “Booker gets the Mortgage-the-franchise-to-acquire-him package. Meaning you’d give up all your future assets to get him. Beal you’d need to give up multiple picks to get off of him.”
Last February, the Suns acquired Durant and TJ Warren from the Nets in exchange for Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson and five first-round picks. On Wednesday, general manager James Jones said that he wanted the Suns to be the first team to “maximize” Durant.
The executive feels that Beal is “toxic debt” with potentially three more years (player option on last year) and $160 million left on his contract, as well as his no-trade clause.
“Taking the swing to acquire him wasn’t without justification,” he said. “But Beal is toxic debt now. You have to move on before Book and KD demand trades and you lose leverage in the market place.”
Booker was involved with trade rumors started by Stephen A. Smith saying that he wanted to be traded to the New York Knicks. Those rumors were later debunked.
Even so, Bucher detailed some packages for Phoenix’s longest-tenured star, who will be entering his 10th season in the league next year, all with the Suns so far.
“Booker is the most attractive trade piece among the three for several reasons. At 27, he is in the prime of his career with four All-Star appearances already to his credit. He has averaged 25 points or more each of the last six seasons, shot 47 percent or better over the same stretch with a 35.7 career three-point shooting percentage and never has had a whiff of controversy around him.
Unconfirmed rumors already have floated that there is mutual interest between him and the New York Knicks. For what it’s worth, the Knicks have a surplus of first-round picks and could offer a player package that checks several of the boxes posed by the Western Conference scout without impacting their starting lineup: rim protector, Mitchell Robinson; point guard, Miles McBride; rugged power forward, Precious Achiuwa.
One Eastern Conference GM, unsolicited, asked, “Does Book want to stay in Phoenix? Unclear.”
A second Eastern Conference executive pointed to the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder as other candidates who could see Booker as an ideal fit. For the Spurs it would be pairing him with rookie big man Victor Wembanyama. The Thunder already have a promising young backcourt in point guard Shai Gilgeous Alexander and shooting guard Jalen Williams, but both being practically the same size as the 6’6″ Booker, that could make for a formidable trio of two-way threats.
‘San Antonio has the assets to get him,’ he said. “So does Oklahoma City. ‘And it’s really the only way Phoenix can change course.’
Do you think the Suns should trade any of their Big 3?
NBA executives say Suns aren’t in as bad of position as portrayed
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Brendan Mau is a senior writer covering the Phoenix Suns and more for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on X via @Brendan_Mau
